Melbourne Victory host Central Coast Mariners in Round 22 of the Isuzu UTE A-League on Saturday, March 21, kick-off 5.10pm AEDT.
The final match before the first Men’s FIFA international window of 2026 is the Club’s annual U-NITE Multicultural Round, which, for the first time, will run in collaboration with the Victorian Multicultural Commission and synchronises with the beginning of Victoria’s 2026 Cultural Diversity Week.
Victory come into the game fresh from an impressive 4-1 win over Macarthur, having not tasted defeat in half a dozen outings.
Central Coast are also in strong form, unbeaten in eight, playing out a score draw with Adelaide United in Gosford last weekend.
The Boys in Blue
Since losing narrowly to Central Coast Mariners in a lightning-affected Round 15 clash at the start of February, Melbourne Victory have constructed a six-game unbeaten run, including three wins to nestle themselves nicely inside the top six.
They responded to the loss at polytec Stadium by claiming maximum points away to Wellington Phoenix just five days later, and followed this up by drawing with Brisbane Roar before swatting aside Melbourne City in an ‘away’ derby.
Most recently, they righted the wrongs of turning winning positions into honours even versus Adelaide United and Sydney FC by pushing home their advantage against Macarthur on Sunday night.
A two-nil lead, thanks to a Damien Da Silva own goal and Denis Genreau finish, was cut to one by half-time, but Victory did not look back in the second 45, adding further strikes through Lecce loanee Sebastian Esposito and Japanese January arrival Charles Nduka.
Spanish star Juan Mata was credited with the assist for each of these goals, taking his tally to 12 for the season.
Arthur Diles is boosted by the return of Jason Davidson, after a two-round absence for personal leave, and a first inclusion in the match day squad this season for Brendan Hamill, following his ACL rehabilitation. Unfortunately, Jing Reec joins Louis D’Arrigo on the sidelines with an injury.
Round 22 Squad: 2. Jason DAVIDSON, 4. Lachlan JACKSON, 5. Brendan HAMILL, 7. Reno PISCOPO, 8. Jordi VALADON, 9. Nikolaos VERGOS, 10. Denis GENREAU, 11. Clerismario SANTOS RODRIGUES, 14. Matthew GRIMALDI, 15. Sebastian ESPOSITO, 16. Joshua INSERRA, 17. Nishan VELUPILLAY, 18. Franco LINO, 21. Roderick MIRANDA, 22. Joshua RAWLINS, 23. Keegan JELACIC, 25. Jack DUNCAN, 40. Jack WARSHAWSKY, 44. Charles NDUKA, 64. Juan MATA
Ins: 2. Jason DAVIDSON, 5. Brendan HAMILL
Outs: 19. Jing REEC (injured)
Unavailable: 19. Jing REEC (injured), 27. Louis D’ARRIGO (injured)
Coasting along
Central Coast Mariners are the Isuzu UTE A-League’s in-form team heading into the regular season’s closing chapters, having gone from January’s basement dwellers to strong Finals contenders.
Warren Moon, boosted by six arrivals during the mid-season transfer window, has claimed four wins since the beginning of February, as well as a credible point against ladder leaders Newcastle Jets in the F3 Derby.
Arrivals Ali Auglah, the match winner when Mariners edged Melbourne Victory last month, Nathanael Blair, and Oliver Lavale have all netted twice in their new colours, with the latter hitting a double as they held last term’s Premiers, Auckland FC, to a draw away from home.
April’s defining schedule starts with the hosting of Perth Glory, and concludes with Newcastle heading to Gosford, although a trip to seventh-place Melbourne City could be the most critical in determining whether the Mariners’ campaign will run into overtime.
Run it back
Melbourne Victory lost a weather-interrupted fixture by a single goal to the Central Coast Mariners earlier this season.
Ali Auglah’s curling, 35th-minute match-winner came shortly before lightning strikes in the local area paused the action for more than an hour.
Once resumed, it was wave after wave of Victory attacks, which only intensified after Nathan Paull was shown a straight red card for hauling down Nikos Vergos, but the hosts resisted the ongoing barrage to sneak the points.
Last time out
Melbourne Victory put on a Sunday special to defeat Macarthur FC at AAMI Park to set their longest unbeaten streak of 2025/26.
A dangerous Keegan Jelacic cross was turned into his own net by former Victory man Damien Da Silva before the quarter-hour mark, with the lead doubled when Denis Genreau picked out the corner from Nduka’s lay-off.
Luke Vickery’s pinpoint accuracy gave the Bulls some hope going into half-time, only for the Boys in Blue to go through the gears after the break. Sebastian Esposito headed in Juan Mata’s corner, and Nduka netted his third for the Club to round out the scoring.
Central Coast Mariners were denied a win at the last against Adelaide United on Saturday afternoon.
The hosts went ahead 14 minutes into the second half when Sabit Ngor profited from goalkeeper Joshua Smits’ indecision to finish into an empty net.
Warren Moon’s side would, however, have to settle for a point as Ethan Alagich equalised late on in New South Wales.
